


Together Again...Forever

by musikurt



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-29
Updated: 2015-08-29
Packaged: 2018-04-17 19:33:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4678685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musikurt/pseuds/musikurt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the curse is broken, Dr. Whale and Jefferson find their pasts--both individual and collective--and make a decision about their future.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Together Again...Forever

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aurilly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aurilly/gifts).



Jefferson placed the hat on the floor in the corner. "You need to stand back. I don't know how many times I need to tell you this."

"I still don't understand how all of this works, and I must remind you I find it slightly unnerving that you can't explain it." Whale shook his head, but stepped back anyway. He didn't need to know how this process worked to know it could be dangerous if he didn't listen. He'd witnessed Jefferson's work more than once.

"And I find it utterly humorous and slightly disturbing that you could have gone through everything that's happened to us and still demand a scientific explanation for everything. Some things just are."

"You know that can't be. Even something that's magical should have rules. And those rules should connect back to some sort of science. Physics, maybe? We're talking about displacement of matter, here. And time and space, so there's probably some quantum physics in there, too."

Jefferson sighed. "The physics of this world? Or the physics of where we're headed. Because you know they're different."

"That still implies there's a system of rules. Even if the rules in those two worlds are different, there's still an order to things."

"Okay, but everything in the past few days that has violated the laws of physics of this universe? How do you explain that? If the rules are absolute in a given place, then they shouldn't be able to be changed."

Whale shook his head. "You're talking about the introduction of an outside force, though. This world doesn't have magic. We brought magic here from another world, upsetting everything here. For all we know, what we're about to do might have a ripple affect that forever changes something about the way things work here. Maybe we lessen the pull of gravity. Maybe we cause the plant to spin a fraction of a millimeter per day faster. We don't even know what we might be causing to happen, but you have to agree that we're causing something. It's a basic rule of physics--even in both universes that we know of--that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."

"Like for the action of you rambling on and distracting me from my task, I might just have to smack you upside the head?" Jefferson laughed, but there was a clear hint of annoyance in his tone.

Whale had a response for that, but he knew better than to keep going. This was a recurring argument for them, and it was one that was never going to be won by either side. What he did know for certain was that this worked. That, and he trusted Jefferson with his life. More than his life, he trusted Jefferson with his heart. As he watched the man work, he had to suppress the urge to walk over and take him in his arms. Since the curse had been lifted, they had found each other again, and he couldn't help wanting to make up for lost time. He really, really wanted to make up for lost time. A smile broke out on Whale's face as Jefferson put the final touches on everything and stepped back.

"Are you ready? This time there will be no turning back." Jefferson held out his hand. "We put Storybrooke--and everyone in it--behind us forever."

"I don't think you even need to ask me that question," Whale answered, taking Jefferson's outstretched hand. "If I could, I'd be running out of here instead. We absolutely cannot get out of here fast enough."

"We could never get far enough away by running. This is the surest way this experience will never come back to haunt us." Jefferson looked out the window one last time, a hint of sorrow in his expression.

"Hey," Whale said, turning to face him. "We have each other. No matter what happened here, the things we did when we didn't know who we were, the things we failed to do--that's all in the past now. We talked about this. We cannot blame ourselves for things that were beyond our control. And we cannot let guilt or regret or thoughts about what could have been stop us from moving forward. I want you to be happy, and I'm sure you want me to be happy, too. And, damn it, we're deserve to stake that claim."

Jefferson leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "I love it when you get all self-righteous and lecture at me." He grinned and winked at Whale, who feigned a pout in response. "Don't be like that. You now you like those moments too. I always thought you should be a teacher of some kind."

They were both silent for a moment. "What are we going to do when we get there?" Whale asked, a serious look in his eyes.

"We'll figure it out as we go. We don't even know what's changed since we were last there. We weathered and survived this, so whatever's in store from this point should be easy, no? It's an uncertainty, but the chances of it being better than remaining here are...how might you describe it...astronomical." Jefferson looked back at the hat. "It's time now. Sure you're ready?"

Whale nodded. He had more he could say--he always had more he could say--but they would be whirled away from Storybrooke any moment, and then they would have all the time in the world to talk. And maybe, just maybe, they would have time to finally resolve their argument about whether everything had to have an explanation or if some things just were. As he looked into Jefferson's eyes in those final seconds, he started to wonder if maybe he could be swayed to Jefferson's point of view. After all, there was no scientific explanation for the love he had for the man standing next to him. But he did love him dearly. It was a powerful force that connected them, and, well, it just was.


End file.
